


Vow To Return

by WindMeister8



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Escape, F/M, Freedom, Promises, Return, Sea, Tall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 04:52:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4906219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindMeister8/pseuds/WindMeister8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five years two months and three days. </p>
<p>That's how long you had been gone. The freedom of being at sea was beyond your wildest dreams. But something was still missing from your life... a promise you had yet to fulfill.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vow To Return

**Author's Note:**

> **(AU Note: For maximum effect, listen to[this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lC40DnWyYo#Most_Emotional_Music_Ever%3A__Forgiving__by_Evgeny_Raskin))**

It was almost sunset, the large orange sun beginning its slow descent, seemingly being eaten by the ocean. Just as it was five years two months and three days ago. You allowed your fingers to graze over the ship controls, setting it to autopilot, leaving you free to roam the decks. Stepping out into the open air, you moved towards the helm.

The smell of this familiar part of the ocean brought back a warm sense of nostalgia. You relished the strong breeze that flowed through your hair, letting each strand ripple and twist in the air as if it were a wild animal. The freedom of being at sea was empowering, inspirational, and just… magical. Your travels had made you seen things you had never dreamt of seeing, learnt things that you never knew existed, experienced things you never thought would ever happen to you.

When you were on land, you were surrounded by people who were sometimes eager to see you, sometimes not so. But at sea, you were accompanied only by nature. You were alone with your thoughts and that was strangely comforting. However, there were times when a pang of loneliness would hit you and you longed for home. For that one person. 

 

_  
“Do you really have to go, (F/N)?”_

_You looked back at the town you had left behind. It was still enveloped in darkness but in a moment, they would find out you had escaped and soon, it would be illuminated with light. It was now or never._

_A gentle tug on your wrist reminded you of the tall figure standing beside you, green eyes watching you with concern and sorrow. You strained your neck to look up at him, your eyes taking in every single feature of his face, trying to imprint him into your memory. You didn’t know when you would see him again. If you would ever see him again. But at least, you wanted to keep a part of him with you. To remind you of the memories that you had with him. To remind you that there was one person whom you loved and who loved you back. And to remind you that in your darkest times, there would always be hope._

_You managed a smile as you gazed into his sorrowful eyes. When had he grown up to be so tall? When had the two of you first realized that what you had went beyond friendship? What would happen now? You had no answer. But just as he had given you hope, you wanted to give him hope._

_“You remember that small tree by the beech?”_

_He nodded hesitantly, unsure of where you were steering this conversation._

_“When you are taller than that tree, we’ll be together once again,” you whispered softly as you entwined your fingers with his._

_Frowning, he regarded you warily. “That shouldn’t be… too difficult. (F/N), I-”_

_You lifted a finger to his lips, silencing him. “I’ll be back. I promise.”_

 

The all-too-familiar shape of land entered your vision and if you squinted, you could just make out the trees that dotted the sloping terrain. Taking out your image magnifier, you looked through the scope with trembling hands. You scanned the horizon, searching for the cliff that you used to call “The Crescent”.  Once you found the familiar-shaped cliff, you panned the magnifier up, watching as the surface of the stone rolled down across your scope.

Your heart pounded loudly in your chest as the edge of the cliff finally came into focus. Your throat was dry and you could hardly sense your surroundings, your entire being fully concentrated on what you could see through the scope. Without warning, you were beginning to tear up from the anxiety and nervousness that pumped rapidly through your veins. You were scared of what you would see, what you wouldn’t see.

Trying to steady your quivering hands, you adjusted the magnification and the image came into focus. Your breath hitched in your throat as you saw the sturdy tree in the distance…. and a figure standing beside it. A figure you knew all too well. A figure you had seen in your dream countless times.

A single word escaped your lips as tears of joy rolled down your cheeks.

_Bertolt._


End file.
